(A)You were running well. Who hindered you from obeying (B)the truth? This persuasion is not from (C)him who calls you. (D)A little leaven leavens the whole lump. 10 (E)I have confidence in the Lord that you will (F)take no other view, and (G)the one who is troubling you will bear the penalty, whoever he is. 11 But if I, brothers,[a] still preach[b] circumcision, (H)why am I still being persecuted? In that case (I)the offense of the cross has been removed. 12 I wish (J)those who unsettle you would emasculate themselves!

13 For you were called to freedom, brothers. (K)Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love (L)serve one another. 14 For (M)the whole law is fulfilled in one word: (N)“You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 15 But if you (O)bite and devour one another, watch out that you are not consumed by one another.

Keep in Step with the Spirit

16 But I say, (P)walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify (Q)the desires of the flesh. 17 For (R)the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, (S)to keep you from doing the things you want to do. 18 But if you are (T)led by the Spirit, (U)you are not under the law.

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Footnotes

  1. Galatians 5:11 Or brothers and sisters; also verse 13
  2. Galatians 5:11 Greek proclaim

You were running a good race.(A) Who cut in on you(B) to keep you from obeying the truth? That kind of persuasion does not come from the one who calls you.(C) “A little yeast works through the whole batch of dough.”(D) 10 I am confident(E) in the Lord that you will take no other view.(F) The one who is throwing you into confusion,(G) whoever that may be, will have to pay the penalty. 11 Brothers and sisters, if I am still preaching circumcision, why am I still being persecuted?(H) In that case the offense(I) of the cross has been abolished. 12 As for those agitators,(J) I wish they would go the whole way and emasculate themselves!

Life by the Spirit

13 You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free.(K) But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh[a];(L) rather, serve one another(M) humbly in love. 14 For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”[b](N) 15 If you bite and devour each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other.

16 So I say, walk by the Spirit,(O) and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.(P) 17 For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh.(Q) They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever[c] you want.(R) 18 But if you are led by the Spirit,(S) you are not under the law.(T)

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Footnotes

  1. Galatians 5:13 In contexts like this, the Greek word for flesh (sarx) refers to the sinful state of human beings, often presented as a power in opposition to the Spirit; also in verses 16, 17, 19 and 24; and in 6:8.
  2. Galatians 5:14 Lev. 19:18
  3. Galatians 5:17 Or you do not do what